The subject matter disclosed herein relates to apparatus and methods for controlling an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to a control system and methods of controlling a variable displacement internal combustion engine.
Consumers want powerful yet fuel efficient automobiles and trucks. Studies have shown that a significant amount of time, users operate the internal combustion engine in their vehicle in a way that requires a fraction of the available power, which is not efficient. Variable displacement systems are one method of improving the fuel efficiency of an internal combustion engine during the periods of operation where the full output of the engine is not required. Vibration and sound along with lagging performance are challenges associated with variable displacement systems that have to be minimized in order for a variable displacement system to be transparent to the user.
An engine controller and a control system for a variable displacement internal combustion engine configured to optimize the fuel efficiency while also being transparent to a user is desirable.